Priorat (DOQ)
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Priorat DOQ (Denominació d’Origen Qualificada in Catalan, also Denominación de Origen Calificada – DOCa – in Spanish) is a quality wine producing region in the comarca (county) of the same name in the centre-north of the province of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) covering eleven municipalities. It is characterised by its unique terroir (Catalán: terrer) of black slate soil.
It is only the second wine region in Spain to qualify, alongside La Rioja, as a DOCa, the highest regional qualification in winemaking according to Spanish law.
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[edit] History
The first recorded evidence of grape growing and wine production dates from the 12th century, when the monks from the Monastery of Scala Dei, founded in 1163, introduced the art of viticulture. The monks tended the vineyards for centuries until 1835 when they were expropriated by the state, and distributed to smallholders.
At the end of the 19th century, the phylloxera pest devastated the vineyards causing economic ruin and large scale emigration of the population. It was not until the 1950s that replanting was undertaken. In the decade from 1985, the production of bulk wine was phased out and bottling of quality wine phased in.
[edit] Geography
The DO comprises the valleys of the rivers Siruana and Montsant. The vineyards are planted on the slopes on terraces at altitudes of between 100 m and 700 m above sea level.
[edit] Soils
The area is of volcanic origin which confers interesting characteristics to the soil. The basis (called llicorella in Catalán) comprises reddish and black slate with small particles of mica, which reflects the sunlight and conserves heat. The 50 cm thick topsoil is formed of decomposed slate and mica. These characteristics force the roots of the vines to reach the base for water, nutrition and minerals. These soil characteristics confer special quality to the wine and keep the vines firmly anchored to the earth during the strong winds and storms which are common to the area.
[edit] Climate
Even though El Priorat DOQ is a small area, there are several different micro-climates present. Generally, the climate is more extreme than most continental climate areas, though there is a marked contrast between the valleys and the higher areas. There are both freezing winds from the north (mitigated somewhat by the Montsant mountain) and also the warm Mistral wind from the east.
Summers are long, hot and dry (max temperature 35°) while winters are cold (min temperature -4°C). There is the occasional risk of frost, hailstones and drought. The average annual temperature is 15°C, and average annual rainfall is 400-600 mm.
[edit] Grapes
The traditional grape variety grown in El Priorat is the red Garnacha Tinta, which is found in all the older vineyards. Also authorised are the following red varieties: Garnacha Peluda, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Four white varieties are also authorised: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Pedro Ximénez and Chenin.
Yields are very low, usually much lower than the authorised maximum yield of 6,000 kg/ha, due to the rocky nature of the soil that does not allow the accumulation of water. The vines are usually planted as low bushes (en vaso) though the newer vineyards tend to be planted on trellises (en espaldera).
[edit] Wines
The traditional reds from El Priorat are either 100% Garnacha or a blend of Garnacha and Cariñena. Crianza wines must remain in oak barrels for 6 months and then 18 months in the bottle. Reserva wines must remain in oak barrels for 12 months and then 24 months in the bottle. Gran Reserva wines remain in oak barrels for 24 months and then 36 months in the bottle.
Few wineries (bodegas) follow these guidelines strictly, and the usual practice is to produce what is known as vino de guarda (aged wine) that has been in oak barrels for 18 months followed by 6 months in the bottle, the optimal moment for consumption being 2 years later.
